The Archaeologist

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12 Most Mysterious Recent Ancient Finds

Archaeologists have discovered several mysterious artifacts from ancient cultures that they struggle to understand. One of these discoveries includes a sacred bronze tree that was found in China's Sichuan Province. The tree is believed to have been made by the Shu culture, which existed about 3,200 years ago.

The tree was deliberately disturbed between layers of ivory, and its significance is unknown. In Scotland, a collection of artifacts from the witch hunts period, including a set of stone charms and a Gaelic prayer book that belonged to a wizard in the 16th century, were recently put on display for the public. At least 3,800 people were accused of witchcraft in Scotland between the 1560s and the 1730s.

Another artifact is the guinel stargazer idol, one of only 15 Anatolian marble female idols ever found. It is thought to have been illegally looted from Turkey in 1993 and is about 6,000 years old. Lastly, archaeologists discovered two delicately carved and polished stone balls inside a 5,500-year-old tomb on the Scottish island of Orne, and while there are many theories about their use, no conclusive answer has been found.